The Negotiation
by spydalek
Summary: Six men. One Phil Coulson. One Melinda May. What could possibly happen when those men have something Phil wants?


Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Negotiation

It was a dingy room in the back of a small pub, a single bare light-bulb swung above a green foldaway poker table. Five men sat behind a sixth man, with a scar running from his left eye to his lips, who was sat at the poker table. They were all looking at the man in the loose fitting suit standing in the doorway. Phil Coulson. Melinda May stood behind him, looking tough in her leather jacket. "Do you really want to do this, Phil?" asked Melinda, quietly as she looked at him.

"It's the only way, Mel," said Phil, grinning at her, before walking into the room, his grin turning into a thin smile. "Alright, lads, I'm here for the merchandise."

The men looked at each other, before the leader started laughing. A full on guffaw.

Phil shared a look with Melinda as she stepped into the room, threateningly.

The men immediately pulled guns out of their holsters and Melinda's lips curved into a smirk.

Phil took a seat at the table and said "Now, shall we negotiate," as Melinda effortlessly took down the men with guns behind both of them. None of the men had a chance to fire before they were unconscious on the floor.

When it was only the leader, Phil and Melinda left, the leader wordlessly pulled a Captain America Trading Card, in a card protector, out of his jacket pocket and placed it on the table. He looked between Phil and Melinda, terrified, before running out of the backroom.

Phil smiled as he gently picked the card up and looked at it. Captain America was saluting at the camera on it. The final card he needed for his set.

"And that is as near to him as you're ever gonna get, Coulson," said Melinda, smirking as she walked out the backroom. "Come on, Fury's gonna live up to his name if we're not back with the report from our last mission soon."

Phil chuckled before gently pocketing the card and following Melinda out.

* * *

"There is no way that happened," said Skye, as she sat in Coulson's office with Phil and Melinda. It was their weekly story night, and it had been Phil's turn to tell a story. They all had hot chocolate in their hands. Melinda and Skye had ordinary cups, but Phil had his in his Captain America mug. Skye looked at Melinda and asked "May?"

"Exactly how he tells it," said Melinda, looking at the young hacker, with a smile. "There was nothing he wouldn't do to get his hands on those Captain America cards. I swear he loved them more than me sometimes."

"That's not true," said Phil, looking at Melinda, pulling his tie off. "I loved you both equally."

Skye laughed, before finishing her hot chocolate and looking at Phil as she said "You must have been pissed at Fury when he got blood on them then."

"Language Skye," said Phil, looking at her sternly. Before sighing. "It took me literal years to get a full set, so yeah, I was a little mad at Nick."

"A little, Phil?" asked Melinda, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't he give you Lola because you wouldn't stop going on about how much that 'Saluting Cap' card cost you?"

Skye laughed again, before lying down on the sofa, putting her head on Melinda's lap.

"Hey, Nick fell for the guilt trick. You and I both know that one didn't cost me anything," said Phil, smirking as he lent against his desk, picking the cup back up.

"That's very true," said Melinda, smiling, as she began to stroke Skye's hair.

The young hacker smiled to herself as she closed her eyes, the action soothing. It wasn't long before she had fallen asleep.

"Aw, storytime tired her out," said Phil, smiling as he watched Melinda gently lift Skye and then stand up. She placed Skye back down, making sure her head was on the pillow as Phil handed her his Captain America blanket.

After tucking Skye in, she placed a kiss on her forehead and turned to Phil. "I guess this is my cue to leave," she said, with a smile. Before walking up to Phil and kissing him on the cheek. "Don't stay up too late, OK?"

"I'll be in here till she wakes up," said Phil, looking at Melinda, with a small smile. Before smirking. "I can't believe you thought I'd never meet Steve Rogers. And now I not only have his autograph, I have a picture with him."

"Well, how was I supposed to know he was actually frozen in ice?" asked Melinda, raising her eyebrow again. Before shaking her head and smiling at him. "Night Phil."

"Night Mel," said Phil, watching her leave his office. Before he walked over to his desk and sat down. Determined to get some paperwork done. None was, he spent the night watching Skye.

* * *

 **So I read a Reddit post about a scene somebody wanted to see in Captain Marvel and it got my brain going. I was originally just gonna have Coulson be telling the whole original team but then I thought it'd be nicer if it was just Skye and Melinda in there with him and that scene was born.**

 **It got way more fluffy than I originally planned but hey, I still love it. :D**

 **Hope you enjoyed. :)**


End file.
